Xinhua Commentary: Lai Ching-te's separatist bubble

BEIJING, March 15 (Xinhua) -- Taiwan leader Lai Ching-te recently unveiled 17 strategies to counter so-called "threats" from the Chinese mainland facing the island. The latest move once again revealed the authoritarian nature behind his "Taiwan independence" attempts and his stance against cross-Strait communication, peace and democracy.

Such remarks, together with other separatist attempts by Lai and the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities, would lead to nothing but a bubble that will undoubtedly burst.

It is worth noting that during his campaign for Taiwan's leadership, Lai repeatedly claimed that he does not oppose healthy and orderly exchanges across the Taiwan Strait.

However, his latest statements, oozing with clear malice, tell a totally different story -- an evident intent to expand restrictions or even close the door on cross-Strait exchanges.

By referring to the mainland as a "hostile external force," Taiwan authorities led by Lai are making an unscrupulous provocation. This raises questions about how it could be possible for him to define the mainland as a "hostile force" and still maintain peace across the Strait.

This move further testifies that the Lai-led authorities are an out-and-out troublemaker and saboteur for cross-Strait peace. If left unchecked, it could only push Taiwan to the perilous brink of war.

Since its inception, the DPP has portrayed itself as "democratic" to reap electoral benefits. However, with this latest move, the DPP's hypocritical disguise was eventually stripped away by Lai himself, exposing its anti-democratic and authoritarian nature to the world, making many in the island doubt whether Taiwan is stepping toward a state of "quasi-martial law."

The public in Taiwan mocked the DPP-claimed "democratic rule" is actually the Democratic Progressive Party's autocracy.

Looking back on the years of cross-Strait relations, despite the DPP's regressive attempts, the momentum of the forward-moving waves of cross-Strait ties has never been stopped, and any temporary turbulence, like Lai's hysterical "Taiwan independence" farce, will ultimately burst and dissipate like bubbles. ■